Key-ring tag.



PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907. MOORE,

KEY RING TAGu APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1905.

WJTNEEEEE/ THE NORRISFETER co ASH! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. MOORE, OF NEWARK, NEXV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITE- HEAD & I-IOAG COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NET V JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

KEY RBNG TAG Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

To all ZU7b0727/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. MOORE, of Newark, in the county of Essex, in the State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Key-Ring Tags, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in key-ring tags, having a flexible chain or cord permanently attached at one end to the tag and having its opposite end detachably interlocked with said tag, whereby one end of the chain may be freed to permit the keys to be strung upon or removed therefrom.

My object, therefore, is not only to provide a flebible key-ring, but also to supply the keyring with a comparatively-thin light sheetmetal tag or plate having a suitable locking device for the detachable end of the chain, adapted to receive the name of the owner or other desired inscription.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of my improved key-ring tag, the locking member and key-ring being shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged face view of the upper portion of the tag and adjacent ends of the key-ring, showing the locking member in its open position and the adjacent end of the key-ring as about to be detached or reinserted. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the detached looking member.

A represents a thin flat sheet-metal tag, which in this instance is oval' in outline and is provided with an angular slot a, extending inwardly and laterally at one end for forming a hook-shaped shoulder a. A flexible ring, as a chain B, has one end passed through a suitable aperture 1) in the tag A for permanent securement to said tag, the other end of said ring or chain being provided with a link 1), adapted to be inserted into the slot at for interlocking engagement with the hook a. A swinging clasp or looking member O is pivoted at c to a tag A at one side of the opening a opposite to that upon which the hook at is formed and is preferably made U-shaped in 50 cross-section, thus forming a hood of suflicient radial length to cover the open end of the slot at when it is closed, as seen in Fig. 1, thereby preventing accidental detachment of the adjacent end of the chainring B from the hook a.

The sides of the hood or locking member O lap upon the opposite sides of the adjacent end of the tag A a sufficient distance to cover the greater portion of the slot at and hook a, leaving just suflicient space for the free flex- 6o ing movement of the link 5 when interlocked with the hook.

The end of the outer wall of the hood or looking member O near the pivot 0 serves as an abutment for engaging a notch or shoulder a in the adjacent edge of the tag A to limit the opening movement of the looking member O when the latter is swung clear of the open end of the slot a, as seen in Fig. 2. This outer wall or side of the locking-hood O is preferably curved to closely iit upon the adjacent curved edge of the tag A, said looking member O being formed of comparatively thin sheet metal, so that its sides may lie closely to the opposite faces of said tag. The 7 5 free end of this locking member O is disposed in a plane at substantially right angles to the adjacent end of its outer curved wall and when closed, as seen in Fig. 1, is substantially parallel to and coincident with the long axis of the tag A and forms an abutment between the links 1/ and pivot c to better resist accidental unlocking of the member O.

As a further protection against accidental opening of this locking member C, I provide its opposite sides with inward depressions c, as best seen in Fig. 3, which depressions register and interlock with recesses c in the hook portion a, so as to frictionally hold said locking member in its closed position. Nhen it is desired to place one or more keys upon or remove them from the ring B, the locking member O is thrown to the position seen in Fig. 2 to permit the link I) to be detached from the hook a, and after the key or keys 5 have been placed upon or removed from the free end of the chain B the link I) is again inserted into the slot a in engagement with the hook at, and the locking member O is then restored to its normal locked position, as pre- 10c viously described.

What I claim is 1. A key-ring tag comprising a disk having an angular slot open at one end through the edge of the disk forming a hook at one side of the open end of the slot, a U-shaped clasp pivoted to the disk at the opposite side of the slot and having its opposite sides movable to and from a position across the slot and hook, the hook and clasp being provided With frictional locking members and the outer portion of the clasp uniting the sides having a portion thereof extending across the open end of the slot When the clasp is closed.

2. In a key-ring tag of the class described, a disk having an angular slot open at one end through the periphery of the disk, a chain attached at one end of the disk and having one of its links removably inserted in said slot,

and a U-shaped clasp pivoted to the disk and having its opposite side pieces and outer por- 15 tion uniting the side pieces movable to and from a position across the slot, and means on the clasp for frictionally looking it in its closed position.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 20 hand on this 16th day of November, 1905.

THOMAS F. MOORE. 

